University Extension and the Ag Experiment Station each year cooperate to host field days in the fall and spring to show farmers the results of research from the farms.

The Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm, located in Lyon county, today will hold the first of seven fall field days to be held across Iowa State’s research farms.

ISU research takes place across the state through the outlaying of research and development farms. The board of directors at each farm meets to plan four to five field day stops along the half-day tours of the farms.

The attendance for field days varies from 150-160 people depending on the weather and the status of the fields, said Dennis Shannon, manager of the ISU Research and Demonstration Farms.

“The main reason for the farms are to give specific research information relevant to their area of the state,” said Shannon. “Coordinators try to target field days to what farmers in their specific area need.”

“At the field days, farmers get to see the latest research going on in their area and interact with ISU research and extension staff,” said Mark Honeyman, coordinator of ISU farms.

“Ag is very rapidly changing, and this is a way to keep farmers up to date,” Honeyman said. “It is a benefit for ISU because the staff is interacting out with farmers and agribusiness people in the state.”

There are 11 farms — four of which are owned by ISU, and seven of which are owned by associations of farmers and agri-businesses, which lease the land to ISU for research projects.

The farms are generally arranged by topography, soil type and climatic areas because across the state there are differences in temperature, rainfall and number of growing days.

Most grain research farms are between 200 and 400 acres while the livestock farms tend to be larger.

McNay Research Farm, located near Chariton, is the largest farm at 2,000 acres with an emphasis in livestock projects. Muscatine Island Research and Demonstration Farm is the smallest farm at 40 acres with a focus on horticulture research.

Honeyman said the topic of corn and bean development will be discussed at field days across the state. “With the cool growing season and the high price of the crop, everyone is concerned about the size of the crop,” Honeyman said.

There is also an interest in narrow row corn and soybeans, which requires a change in management practices to increase yield per acre, Honeyman said. Global positioning, involving satellites and computerized site specific management, will also be discussed at field days.

Beef cattle producers are concerned about feeding, marketing and health programs in the context of high feed prices. Swine producers will look at alternative production practices such as hooped structures which are more versatile and less expensive than conventional buildings.

There are between 30 and 40 projects on each farm which are supervised by ISU faculty members.

“A lot of research has been done for farmers,” Shannon said. “Newer soil testing recommendations reduce the amount of fertilizer needed to maintain yields which in turn costs farmers less money and helps the environment.”

Other projects include research on water quality, weeds, insects and disease. Shannon said these projects benefit all farmers and not just the association members.

“Most of the funds to operate the farm come from the produce which is reinvested,” Shannon said. The salaries are paid by ISU. During summer break 14 ISU students worked for the farms.

“The average lifespan of the research farm is 35 to 40 years because prior experiments may start to affect current research,” Honeyman said.

However, the oldest operating farm is the Northern Iowa Research Farm, located in Kanawha, which began in 1931. Western Research and Demonstration Farm celebrates its 50th anniversary this fall.

The field day for the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm, located in Nashua, is September 10. The Western, located in Castana, and Southeast, located in Crawfordsville, Research and Demonstration Farms will hold field days on September 11. The Armstrong Research and Development Farm, Atlantic, field day will be September 12. The Allee Research and Development Farm, Newell, field day is September 13. On September 19, McNay Farm, Chariton, will host their field day.

There is no cost or preregistration to attend the field days.